KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- The $15 ticket price for Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards' fundraiser Monday night attracted jeans, shorts, sandals and untucked shirts amid the formal dresses and suits.

The cost of the "Small Change for Big Change" event was also low enough to bring out the curious who haven't committed to Edwards, along with those fully supporting his campaign.

"I love it. It's a great idea," said Michael Grady, 50, a Hollywood priest who was dressed casually in jeans. "We were just talking about if Hillary (Clinton) came we would never see her because you wouldn't get in for 15 bucks. No way near it. And you won't get near her, probably, if you're a nobody. I wouldn't be able to afford $1,000 to see a political candidate."

As a member of the Green Party, Grady can't vote in the primary, but he still wanted to hear what the former North Carolina senator had to say.

The crowd of 200 at the Rusty Pelican restaurant overlooking downtown Miami enthusiastically cheered the anti-war message Edwards launched into immediately after taking the microphone.

"We have such important work to do in this country, starting with ending this war in Iraq," Edwards said 25 seconds into his speech. "If this war is still going on when I'm sworn into office as president of the United States, I will end this war."

He delivered a shorter version of his standard stump speech, talking about raising wages, reducing poverty, re-establishing a positive world image and providing health care for everybody.

"So far, I'm the only candidate with a specific, truly universal plan," Edwards said, asking the crowd to look at other candidate's health care proposals. "If, by law, it's not required that every man, woman and child be covered, it's not universal, and we need universal health care in this country."

Steve Greenberg, 63, a Broward County attorney dressed in a black T-shirt and black jeans, left the event still uncommitted.

"I want to hear the other people," he said. "I'm an issues person, not a personality person. I like him, but I'd like to hear others' positions as well. But I would set myself on fire before I vote for a Republican."

Greenberg also said he never would have come if the event were a high-priced fundraiser.

"I like it a lot better than corporate fundraising," he said. "You can see where that's gotten us."